Dust in the Wind

Chapter 13- Deja vu

The morning came and brought them utter silence, even the horses on the level below had accustomed to Theron's presence during the night and still slept. Pulling up their gasmasks they set about removing the air-filters from their positions, placing them back in their cases as the metal sheets were removed from the windows. Instantly their respirators were assaulted with the toxic stench of the outside world, making the pair's nose wrinkle under the masks.

    Having collected their gear the pair headed down the stairs, each step carefully placed on the ancient wood that groaned under their weight. Theron looked up from her place near the blocked doorway, she appraised them almost lazily before resting her head back on her paws.

Finishing their preparations, Aminia woke the horses pulling out their feed before having her own breakfast, throwing the tube over towards Felicia who finished packing away their gear. Theron led them through the streets, nose twitching almost constantly as she peered down every alleyway and street, pausing when even the slightest noise made her ears quiver.

    Felicia turned her horse as she spotted the abandoned excavation, Theron making a displeased sound at the sudden change in course and quickly moved so that she was back at the lead of their little group. Rolling her eyes Felicia dismounted as they neared, taking hold of the reins and walking over towards the hole in which the ancient nuke still lay. Aminia almost fell from the saddle as she spotted the metal husk, half-buried in the ground. She managed to land on her feet and peered over the edge of the contraption and breathed out, 'Is that what I think it is?'

    'Yup...' Felicia's voice was almost dark as she glared down at it. 'But we're not here to sight see. Come on.. this way.' 

    Felicia got back onto the saddle, turning the horse she scanned the area before identifying the place where she had run to escape the Hunters what seemed like a lifetime ago. Theron kept herself at least half a step in front of the other two, nose twitching constantly before freezing momentarily. Lowering her head like a blood hound she began following the stale scent of Felicia's first, adrenaline-packed escape.

Following the Hunter as it wound through the back alleys and streets, Theron quickly speeding up, forcing the pair to urge their horses into a gallop. It wasn't long before they left the ruined city behind them, racing across the wasteland, the horses seemingly exhilarated to be able to run across the sandy expanse.

    They travelled for a short while before Theron slowed, sniffing around a large hole in the ground, snorting as she looked up at them. There was a hint of disdain in the Hunters gaze as she assessed the hole, lips quivering, on the verge of curling back into a snarl.

    'Theron,' Felicia started, catching the Hunter's attention, 'All you have to do is stay here and guard the horses. Alright?'

    Theron nodded as Felicia and Aminia descended from the saddles, the latter pulling a bag from the saddle and quickly rummaging through its contents to make sure all her tools were there. Felicia set up the hitching posts, tying the horses to them before patting their snouts and looking down into the chasm, remembering the last time she had slid through the darkness with a lurch in her stomach. She had no wish to re-break any of the bones from that first trip.

    'Heads up Fel!'

Felicia turned in time to catch the climbing pick that Aminia threw her way, testing the weight of it in her palm. She hadn't used of them since her Guardian training days, the metal hooks having been useless in all the jobs she had received since graduating. But that wouldn't stop the Guardians from being trained in just about anything that was deemed necessary in the slightest. Aminia was quick to sling her backpack over her shoulders before launching herself into the gaping hole, the clang of her hook embedding itself into the rock echoing through the chasm.